A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Japan on Tuesday afternoon, leaving at least 100 people injured and trapping an unknown number inside a collapsed shopping mall, with authorities expecting fatalities.
Earthquake Details and Immediate Impact
The quake hit Kumamoto prefecture on Kyushu island at 4:27 p.m. local time, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), which recorded a magnitude of 7.1 on its scale and the highest level of 7 on Japan's shindo scale. The U.S. Geological Survey initially reported a magnitude of 7.1 but later revised it to 6.8. The epicenter was about 12 miles (20 km) south of Kumamoto city, home to approximately 700,000 people.
Power was knocked out for 48,000 homes, Kyushu Electric Power reported. Roads, bridges, and buildings sustained damage, including large fissures on major roads and an elevated highway. JR Kyushu suspended all services, including high-speed bullet trains, and Kumamoto airport closed its runway, causing flight diversions and cancellations.
Casualties and Trapped Victims
At least 100 people were injured, with two hospitals reporting more than 50 injuries each, including 10 in serious condition, according to public broadcaster NHK. One person was killed when a house collapsed, Kyodo News reported. Fire services said an explosion occurred in an Aeon shopping mall shortly after the quake, trapping "many people." TBS reported that police said "quite a few" were presumed dead. About 20 to 30 workers at the mall were unaccounted for, NHK said. Kyodo News reported four people were taken to hospital, all conscious.
An Aeon spokesperson stated that customers and employees were evacuated after the initial quake, and the cause of the explosion remained unclear. A government official later reported a gas leak at Aeon Kumamoto, though it had not been confirmed as the cause. Footage showed one side of the mall, the prefecture's largest with roughly 200 stores, torn away, exposing steel beams and debris scattered across the car park. Rescue teams searched for survivors as ambulances and fire engines stood by.
Government Response and Evacuations
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters: "We have already been informed that people have been injured. Power outages and fires have occurred in some areas, and there has also been damage to roads and bridges and the collapse of buildings. I ask everyone to take action to protect themselves, including evacuating to a safe location." The disaster management agency instructed about 300,000 people to go to evacuation centers.
The JMA warned that areas with the biggest tremors would remain at risk of further strong quakes and landslides for about a week due to active seismic activity. More than 60 aftershocks ranging from magnitude 1 to 4 had been recorded by Tuesday evening. A tsunami warning was issued but lifted within two hours.
Damage to Infrastructure and Industry
NHK footage showed several buildings on fire or partly collapsed. A chimney at a Nippon Paper Industries factory collapsed, leaving multiple people unaccounted for. TSMC, Sony, and Fujifilm evacuated workers from their factories in the area. Kumamoto Castle, a popular tourist site, appeared to have damage to its stone walls from the latest quake, following severe damage in a massive earthquake 10 years ago that killed 275 people and injured 2,739.
Telecoms operators KDDI and NTT Docomo reported disruption to mobile services due to power shortages and transmission-line failures. Japan's nuclear regulation authority said no irregularities were reported at nuclear power stations in the area. A hospital employee told NHK: "People are coming in with burns and fractures from being trapped under objects due to the earthquake, and ambulances are constantly bringing in injured people. Inside the hospital, there are water leaks and electrical system failures."
Japan, located along the Pacific "ring of fire," is one of the most earthquake-prone countries, with a tremor occurring at least every five minutes and accounting for about 20% of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or more.
